2 Kings 6 · Verse 1

2 Kings 6:1

And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
2 Kings 6:1, King James Version

2 Kings 6:1 in other translations

BSBNow the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Please take note that the place where we meet with you is too small for us.
WEBThe sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us.
ASVAnd the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too strait for us.
YLTAnd sons of the prophet say unto Elisha, ‘Lo, we pray thee, the place where we are dwelling before thee is too strait for us;
DARBYAnd the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too strait for us.
BBENow the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, There is not room enough for us in the place where we are living under your care;
WebsterAnd the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too narrow for us.

What does 2 Kings 6:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2Ki 6:1-7. Elisha Causes Iron to Swim. 1. the place where we dwell with thee--Margin, "sit before thee." The one points to a common residence--the other to a common place of meeting. The tenor of the narrative shows the humble condition of Elisha's pupils. The place was either Beth-el or Jericho, probably the latter. The ministry and miracles of Elisha brought great accessions to his schools.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The sons of the prophets wish to enlarge their dwelling-place, and go to the banks of Jordan to cut down wood, when one of them drops his axe into the water, which Elisha causes to swim, 2Kgs 6:1-7. Elisha, understanding all the secret designs of the king of Syria against Israel, informs the king of Israel of them, 2Kgs 6:8-10. The king of Syria, finding that Elisha had thus penetrated his secrets and frustrated his attempts, sends a great host to Dothan, to take the prophet; the Lord strikes them with blindness; and Elisha leads the whole host to Samaria, and delivers them up to the king of Israel, 2Kgs 6:11-19. The Lord opens their eyes, and they see their danger, 2Kgs 6:20. But the king of Israel is prevented from destroying them; and, at the order of the prophet, gives them meat and drink, and dismisses them to their master, 2Kgs 6:21-23. Ben-hadad besieges Samaria, and reduces the city to great distress, of which several instances are given, 2Kgs 6:24-30. The king of Israel vows the destruction of Elisha, and sends to have him beheaded, 2Kgs 6:31-33. Verse 1 The place - is too strait for us - Notwithstanding the general profligacy of Israel, the schools of the prophets increased. This was no doubt owing to the influence of Elisha.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 6:1-7
There is that pleasantness in the converse of servants of God, which can make those who listen to them forget the pain and the weariness of labour. Even the sons of the prophets must not be unwilling to labour. Let no man think an honest employment a burden or a disgrace. And labour of the head, is as hard, and very often harder, than labour with the hands. We ought to be careful of that which is borrowed, as of our own, because we must do as we would be done by. This man was so respecting the axe-head. And to those who have an honest mind, the sorest grievance of poverty is, not so much their own want and disgrace, as being rendered unable to pay just debts. But the Lord cares for his people in their smallest concerns. And God's grace can thus raise the stony iron heart, which is sunk into the mud of this world, and raise up affections, naturally earthly.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Kings 6:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּvai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
בְנֵֽי\־ve.nei-[the] sons ofH1121
הַנְּבִיאִ֖יםha.ne.vi.'Imthe prophetsH5030
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אֱלִישָׁ֑ע'e.li.Sha'ElishaH477
הִנֵּֽה\־hi.neh-here!H2009
נָ֣אna'pleaseH4994
הַמָּק֗וֹםha.ma.Komthe placeH4725
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherwhereH834
אֲנַ֜חְנוּ'a.Nach.nuweH587
יֹשְׁבִ֥יםyo.she.Vim[are] dwellingH3427
שָׁ֛םshamthereH8033
לְפָנֶ֖יךָle.fa.Nei.kha<to> before youH6440
צַ֥רtzarit is [too] crampedH6862
מִמֶּֽנּוּ\׃mi.Me.nufor usH4480

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 6:1

  • 2 Kings 2:3

    And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth–el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

  • Isaiah 54:2-3

    Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

  • 1 Samuel 19:20

    And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

  • 1 Kings 20:35

    And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.

  • Joshua 17:14

    And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?

  • 2 Kings 4:1

    Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

  • Isaiah 49:19-20

    For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

  • Joshua 19:47

    And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.

  • Job 36:16

    Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

  • 2 Kings 4:38

    And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Elisha, giving leave to the young prophets to enlarge their dwellings, causes iron to swim.
8 He discloses the king of Syria's counsel.
13 The army which was sent to Dothan to apprehend Elisha, is smitten with blindness.
19 Being brought into Samaria, they are dismissed in peace.
24 The famine in Samaria causes women to eat their own children.
30 The king sends to slay Elisha.

the sons.
2:3; 4:1; 1Ki 20:35
the place.
4:38; 1Sa 19:20
too strait for us.
Jos 17:14; 19:47; Job 36:16; Isa 49:19,20; 54:2,3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 6:1

    And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

  • 2 Kings 6:2

    Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.

Read all of 2 Kings 6

2 Kings 6:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		LOS hijos de los profetas dijeron á Eliseo: He aquí, el lugar en que moramos contigo nos es estrecho.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les fils des prophètes dirent à Élisée: Tu vois que le lieu où nous habitons devant toi est trop étroit pour nous.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Söhne der Propheten sprachen zu Elisa: Siehe doch, der Ort, wo wir vor dir wohnen, ist uns zu enge;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixerunt autem filii prophetarum ad Eliseum: Ecce locus in quo habitamus coram te, angustus est nobis.